Mail-bag.



No. 639,58I. Patented Dec. I9, |899. E. C. JORDAN.

MAIL BAG.

(Application med sept. 25, 1899.;

(No Modal.)

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EDWIN o. JORDAN, or JORDAN SPRINGS, VIRGINIA.

MAIL-BAG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 639,581, dated December 19, 1899. Application led September 25, 1899. Serial No. 781,621. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN C. JORDAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jordan Springs, in the county Of Frederick and State of Virginia,have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bags, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in Inail-bags.

It is the object of my invention to provide a Inail-bag which In ay be readily and securely locked and unlocked and which shall be simple and durable in construction and of the minimum weight.

To this end theinvention consists in the features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

I have illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view with the mouth of the bag shown extended or opened. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan showing the mouth of the bag closed, and Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates what I will term the front side of the bag, and 2 the rear side. Said rear side has a projecting portion extending beyond the edge of the front side to form a flap 3 for closing over the mouth ofthe bag, as usual. On the rear orouter side of this iiap and centrally thereof I secure by rivets a relatively long metal plate 4, to 'which is secured a staple 5, which projects from the front of said flap, and is further secured on said front side by having its prongs extend through a metal plate 6, also riveted to the body of said flap. At opposite corners of the bag I secure by rivets two Ordinary butt-hinges, respectively, 7 and 8, the leaves whereof extend inward and the upper edges of which lie flush with the upper edge of the front side of the bag. Secured to the inner side of each leaf of these hinges is a metal plate, these plates being denoted, respectively, by the numerals 9, 10, 11, and l2. The said plates extend from the corners of the bag to points some distance removed from the center of each side, so as to leave a iiexible portion of the bag between the inner ends of each pair of plates, which arrangement permits the plates to be opened outward on their hinges. The construction is such that when the two sets of plates are separated to open the bag the mouth of the bag will be held disteuded, so that mail-Inatter may be readily thrown into the bag. The rivets which secure these plates to the leaves of the hinges will, in practice, be continued through the material of the bag to also secure the leaves of said hinges to the sides of the bag, so that one set of rivetssecures the plates to the leaves of the hinges and the hinges to the sides of the bag. These plates extend along the upper edge of the bag, as shown, and are riveted thereto at intervals along their length, as indicated by the numerals 13. The plates 9 and 10 are those secured along the inner side of the rear side of the bag, and in the space between their ends I secure by rivets a pad of thick leather or other relatively hard but flexible material 14, which pad projects beyond the surface of the plates 9 and 10 in such manner that when the opposite sides of the bag are brought together the pad will t in the space between the inner ends of the plates 11 and 12, secured on the inner side ofthe front side of the bag. Extending from opposite sides ofthe bottom portion of the pad 14 and lying along the under edges of the plates 9 and 10 are two relatively thick straps or projections 15, which also project beyond the inner faces of the plates 9 and 10 and,in fact,for1n continuations of the pad 14. The purpose of these straps is to lie beneath the under edges of the plates 11 and 12 when the bag is closed, so as to close any space left between the plates 9 10 and 11 12 and prevent letters from passing upward between said plates, where they Inight be extracted by au ingenious person. The pad 14 by filling up the space between the ends of the plates 11 and 12 serves a similar function in addition to that of forming a bearing-surface for the `Inaterial of the front, side of the bag to bear against when the bag is closed. On the outer side of the front side of the bag and in the space between the ends of the plates l1 and l2 I secure a lmetal plate 16, having a rectangular opening 17, which opening is also extended through the material of the bag. In like manner the pad 14 is provided with an opening 18, which is also continued through the material of the bag. In locking the bag the two sets of plates IOO the two hinges 7 and 8; but I prefer to secure these plates on the inner sides of the leaves of the hinges, as described, so that when the hinges are closed the two sets of plates will 4 be brought close together, as will be understood.

It will be seen that with my construction the bag can be quickly unlocked and opened and as quickly closed and locked in almost a single movement for either operation. It will be further seen that when closed and locked the pad I4 and straps or projections 15 will prevent the letters from working upward to the mouth of the bag, and thus the extraction of mail-matter from the bag is rendered impossible.

I may provide a leather or other handle 1S) for carrying the bag, which may be riveted thereto, as usual.

I have shown the pad let in Fig. 1 as being of less thickness than straps or projections 15, the purpose of this being to permit the plates at the top of the bag to be pulled together firmly when the bag is locked. I do not wish, however, to limit my invention to any special degree of thickness of the pad 14 relative to the straps or projections l5.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. A mail-bag having a hin ge secured in each corner at the mouth of the bag, metal plates secured to the leaves of said hinges and to the material of said bag and extending, respectively, to points removed from the center of the bag, whereby to leave a flexible portion between the inner ends of said plates to serve as a hinge, and a pad secured to one side of the bag in the space between but un connected with the ends of the plates on that side and adapted to be received in the space between the ends of the plates on the opposite side, substantially as described.

2. A mail-bag having a' hinge secured in each corner at the mouth of the bag, metal plates secured to each leaf of the hinges and extending along and secured to the body of the bag, and terminating, respectively, at points removed from the center of the bag, whereby to leave a flexible portion between the inner ends ot said plates, a pad secured to one side of the bag in the space between the ends of the plates on that side, and projecting beyond theinner faces ofsaid plates, and straps or projections forming continuations of said pad and extending along the under edges and projecting beyond the inner faces of said plates and adapted to project under the bottom edges of the plates on the opposite side ofthe bag when the bagis closed, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWIN C. JORDAN.

Witnesses:

S. H. IIANsBRoUGH, S. W. SEAL. 

